Shahrukh Khan - Remember the name (Exclusive)

22nd November 2021, Delhi, Tamil Nadu have left themselves with a mountain to climb when Shahrukh Khan, in his inimitable gladiatorial style, strides out to bat. Before his arrival, the defending champions have made heavy weather of a seemingly routine run-chase, picked the wrong bowler to attack and lost wickets in a cluster.

Essentially, they’ve done everything that could lead to them relinquishing their crown – that too against arch-rivals Karnataka.

The brief for Shahrukh Khan is pretty clear: win the game for Tamil Nadu by any and every means necessary. It doesn’t matter if he finishes it off inside the 18th over or if he keeps everyone on tenterhooks till the last ball before sealing the deal. The end result should be another title.

Under ordinary circumstances, any cricketer would want to assess the situation, take a bit of time and then mount an onslaught. Remember, this is as close to a point of no return as possible in domestic cricket. a fumble in the next few balls and a T20 crown will remain elusive.

Shahrukh Khan powered Tamil Nadu to another T20 title

Shahrukh Khan, though, doesn’t even bat an eyelid. For him, this is just another game where he has been asked to pummel the bowling attack into submission. The opponent doesn’t matter. The situation doesn’t either.

“We needed around 50-55 (57 exactly) when I went out to bat. I just wanted to take a couple of balls’ time. I knew the fast bowlers had a few overs left. I knew the equation was a bit out of hand. I said that we will take it as deep as possible, whatever happens,” Shahrukh Khan told Sportskeeda in an exclusive chat.

Experts have long argued that a “devil-may-care” attitude hasn’t always borne fruit. In T20 cricket, however, it is perhaps not the worst approach because the pressure of the result only adds to the tentativeness – something that has no place in the shortest format.

Interestingly enough, this was something Shahrukh Khan discussed with MS Dhoni – someone who knows a fair bit about finishing games of cricket. While the all-rounder refrained from spilling many beans about the conversation, he did elaborate that the Chennai Super Kings skipper asked him to believe, irrespective of what lies ahead.

“MS [Dhoni] told me to trust myself. He told me that whatever I do is the right thing because only I know what is right. And, if anything wrong happens while playing the game my way, so be it,” Shahrukh Khan opened up.

To an extent, this philosophy came to the fore in the final over against Karnataka. There were occasions when Shahrukh Khan could’ve gambled on the extra run – a run that would’ve reduced the scoring equation but one that would’ve gotten him off strike.

He didn’t though. He kept faith in himself and absolutely massacred the ball into oblivion to send the Tamil Nadu dug-out into a frenzy. His teammates swarmed over him and Shahrukh Khan tried to run away from the commotion – perhaps to enjoy a moment for himself.

But deep down, even he would’ve known that this is just what he does. He finishes games off like it is nothing. He bludgeons bowling attacks and as absurd as it sounds, the opposition and the situation don’t really matter to him.

Apart from that, the right-handed batter has shown an inclination to prioritize the collective over his individual performances. This was his afternoon. Yet, in the post-match presentation, he chose to praise his teammate (M Mohammed) and defended how those before him had batted, saying that the likes of N Jagadeesan and Vijay Shankar have that much trust in him.

Shahrukh Khan is a name that has been synonymous with the Indian cricketing landscape for more than a decade. Not because Shahrukh Khan – the Bollywood hero is an absolute superstar in India, but also because he happens to own an IPL team – the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Shahrukh Khan has, over the years, managed to create a brand of himself. Whenever that name has been mentioned, people have thought it to refer to the Bollywood actor because, well, who doesn’t watch films in India.

So much so that when a cricketer, bearing the same name, rose through the ranks in Tamil Nadu’s domestic circuits, countless people mistook him for the actor.

Somewhere in between, though, the fans actually forgot what Shahrukh Khan – the cricketer, was bringing to the table. Remember, Shahrukh Khan had set the previous edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali alight, and has now directly contributed to Tamil Nadu retaining their title.

Shahrukh Khan finished things off in style at the end (Credits: ESPN Cricinfo)

There is something special about Shahrukh Khan, especially in the way he bats and pulverizes bowling attacks. He doesn’t have the dexterity of someone like an AB de Villiers or the variety of strokes that Suryakumar Yadav has. What he does have, though, is raw power and the ability to withstand pressure – ingredients that are the hallmark of any successful finisher.

Again, there will be situations where Shahrukh Khan might not come up trumps or when his style of batting will not be everyone’s cup of tea. But as long as he knows he is doing the right thing; you can be pretty sure he won’t flinch.

Not just flinch, he will ensure that the whole game flashes in front of the opposition’s eyes. A lot of cricketers aren’t blessed with that kind of talent. Shahrukh Khan is. And, the early evidence is that he is putting it to pretty good use.

The whole of India would do well to remember the name. It might be heard more often in the next few seasons, for all we know!